More than 100 Iraqi refugee children began school on June 16 with help from a VOM-partner church in the Middle East. The church had originally planned to start with only 25 of the displaced Christian children, but after discussing their goals with parents, more than 100 children were registered. The Christian families were forced to flee Iraq after the Islamic State invaded more than a year ago. Pray for the protection of students and staff and for the challenges they face.

Two men abducted a Sri Lankan pastor on May 24 and threatened to kill him if he didn’t beg forgiveness for his Christian activities. They eventually took the pastor to a remote location, where they beat him and threatened to destroy his church. The pastor filed a police report, but the men have not been caught.

Ramadan is beginning with turmoil and upheaval in several of the Muslim-dominated countries around the world.It’s the Muslim holy month where followers of Islam pay special attention to their religious duties as they seek out God and truth. Ramadan comes from the Arabic wordramida or ar-ramad, meaning “intense scorching heat and dryness, especially the ground.” Some Muslims say it’s because Ramadan scorches out the sins with good deeds, as the sun burns the ground.However, it’s also been a traditional time where other religious minority groups have seen a sudden spike in persecution, stemming from the Quran’s commands to eliminate Christians.With all of the turmoil plaguing the Middle East and North Africa, many more Muslims have been asking deep questions and getting answers from the Bible. As a result, there are reports that man are coming to faith in Christ, making this an especially daunting time for Muslim converts to Christianity (AKA ‘MBBs’—Muslim Background Believers). Many will have to resist the pressure from family and friends to recant their new faith.Between that and the search for truth, Ramadan represents an opportunity to talk about Christ...

Caleb’s Muslim relatives have threatened to kill him and his daughters because they chose to follow Christ. Caleb’s Muslim wife was taken away from him and given in marriage to another man, but his two daughters chose to follow Christ and stay with Caleb. He asks for prayer for his daughters, who miss their mother.

A 50-year old Christian woman on death row in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy is in urgent need of medical treatment, her family say.Asia Bibi is suffering from intestinal bleeding, The Global Dispatch reports. Relatives visited her for the first time in a month at the end of May and found that she was "so weak she can hardly walk".

"When vomiting there is also shown traces of blood, Asia has difficulty feeding properly, while constant pain in the chest. Therefore, it is necessary that Asia Bibi be submitted as soon as possible a full medical check-up, including blood work," a source told the website.Bibi's lawyers are said to be working to get her the treatment she needs.Found guilty of blasphemy in November 2010, Bibi has been imprisoned for five years and is currently on death row. She continues to deny accusations that she insulted the Prophet Muhammad – charges levelled at her by former colleagues...

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Image Courtesy Christianity Works

Today I am asking you to pray with me for the ministry of Christianityworks. This is such an important request. Here's why:

Christianityworks began proclaiming the Gospel through radio way back in 1957 (back then we were known as 'Back to the Bible'). Sadly though, by 2004, the ministry was ready to close its doors for good.

But then a handful of people started to pray ... and pray ... and pray.

Today, Christianityworks' radio, television and internet broadcasts are heard by millions of people each week, in 160 countries around the world. And so countless lives are now being impacted through the Gospel.

That's the sort of impact that your prayer can have!

And that is why I am asking you to pray with me this month, because there are some truly important challenges before us right now, andwe need your prayer support.

Muslim extremists have forced Pastor Timotius Manik and his congregation out of the church building where they have met legally for the past 16 years. On April 26, a group calling itself the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) falsely reported that the church does not have the required signatures or legal documents. Police arrived to secure the building and to prevent violence between Muslims and the 80 Christians in the church. The congregation now meets in the homes of church members.

Local authorities recently demolished the new home of a house church just as it was nearing completion. The house church, which is led by a VOM-supported pastor, has been meeting weekly in a church member’s small home. The congregation has grown to 87 members, so they had decided to construct a new building for the church where everyone could worship together. The Christians continue to meet in the church member’s home.

This month's Prisoners of Faith Alert is an update on the May 2014 Alert and is a profile of the Liuzhou Kindergarten director Cheng Jie. This dear sister in Christ was recently sentenced to two years' imprisonment.Her husband Du Hongbo has not been allowed to see or speak to his wife since her arrest in February 2014, something that has been incredibly difficult for him personally and for the wider family. He has been greatly encouraged to know that supporters of Release are praying for him, his wife and their two sons.Your prayers and support make a world of difference to Cheng Jie, Du Hongbo and many others in similar circumstances.Please write now to your sister Cheng Jie (see attached pdf for details).By praying for, supporting and writing to, and on behalf of, prisoners of faith you are fulfilling the biblical exhortation to 'REMEMBER THOSE IN PRISON...'

Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body.Hebrews 13:3

“Keo” has been denied access to public utilities, such as water and electricity, because of his Christian faith and evangelism. Since January of this year, Keo has led more than 26 people to Christ. They meet regularly for worship and study in his home, and Keo has provided them with radios that receive Christian programs in a number of languages.

When the earth and all its peoples quake, it is I who hold its pillars firm. Psalm 75:3Another large earthquake measuring 7.3 magnitude hit Nepal on May 12, yielding renewed panic and an additional 42 deaths and more than 1,000 injured. This follows the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that shook the nation on April 25, killing more than 8,000 people, injuring more than 14,000, and causing widespread destruction. The latest temblor toppled more buildings and houses. It has been followed by a series of strong aftershocks.

Prayer Blog

We Can Help Others With Our Prayers. Submit Yours, Pictures, Music, All of Your Loving Here. This Is A Community Effort; We Work in His Name. Prayers will be published, unedited; if you prefer to remain anonymous, please let us know.

You Can Submit via our Contact Form or email the webmaster (see link below)